PROVIDENCE – The Rhode Island Business Plan Competition announced the semi-finalists for its 2012 competition on Wednesday.

The 13 semi-finalists were chosen from 75 emerging and would-be entrepreneurs and are eligible for prizes valued at more than $200,000.

Businesses submitted entries under one of two different tracks. The entrepreneur track was open to any entrepreneur or would-be entrepreneur and the student track was open to any student enrolled in and attending an accredited college or university.

Entrepreneur Track Semi-Finalists

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A “special award” will be open to one of the 13 semi-finalists developing a technology business.

“The range of proposed business ideas shows that entrepreneurship continues to have strong appeal to a broad cross section of people, which, no matter who wins, is good for Rhode Island,” said competition co-chair David Mitchell, dean of the College of Business at Johnson & Wales University.

Finalists will be selected later this month and the winners will be announced at the May 3 Rhode Island Business Expo.

The Rhode Island Business Plan Competition will award more than $200,000 in cash and services to competition winners - including a $40,000 cash prize to the grand prize winner. To receive prizes, applicants must agree to establish or continue operations in Rhode Island.

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